This application is based upon and claims the benefit of priority from the prior Japanese Patent Application No. 11-280495, filed Sep. 30, 1999, the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference.
The present invention relates to a communication system employing an information processing device such as a personal computer and a mobile communication device such as a cellular phone, and more particularly to a communication system for allowing a mutual data communication between these devices via a wireless communication, and a mobile communication device, an information processing device, and a data communication method used in the communication system.
With the recent spread of cellular phones, a communication system that allows a data communication by connecting a cellular phone to a personal computer (hereinafter, abbreviated to PC) has been proposed.
For example, Jpn. Pat. Appln. KOKAI Publication No. 10-56673 discloses a wireless communication device and an information processing device, wherein an interface between a cellular phone and a PC is constructed by an infrared communication. More specifically, when a cellular phone is connected to a public line via a wireless communication system to transmit/receive data to/from a separate information processing device, a data communication is allowed by connecting the cellular phone to the PC via an interface which is constructed not by a cable connection but an infrared communication. This publication also discloses that the cellular phone controls the ON/OFF action of the PC""s main power source.
Thus, a data communication by connecting the cellular phone to the PC has been known. However, in such a data communication, the cellular phone is used merely as communication means. Hence, for example, data can not be downloaded from each other to enable the user to see data on desired software installed in the PC on the display screen of the cellular phone by downloading the data from the PC to the cellular phone by manipulating the cellular phone, or conversely, to see a display content on the cellular phone on the display screen of the PC by downloading corresponding data from the cellular phone to the PC by manipulating the PC.
The cellular phone of the above publication merely controls the ON/OFF action of the PC""s main power, and bi-directional data transmission, that is, sending the data in the cellular phone to the PC and sending the data in the PC to the cellular phone, has not been implemented.
Constructing the interface between the cellular phone and PC by an infrared communication as disclosed in the above publication can offer an advantage that connection cables are omitted. However, because infrared rays travel straight, even a slight angle shift with respect to each other can cut the communication therebetween. Moreover, if an obstacle stands in the way between the sender and receiver devices, the communication is totally impossible. These drawbacks raise a problem in reliability of the communication.
Further, infrared rays can travel over only a limited distance, and according to the IrDA (Infrared Data Association) standards, a communication is allowed within an area of a radius of one meter (optionally extendable up to three meters). Hence, the infrared communication is available on condition that the cellular phone and PC are physically close to each other, and a remote manipulation with respect to each other is impossible when the two devices are too remote.
Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a communication system, wherein software installed in one device is remotely manipulated by the other, so that display data generated by starting the software can be displayed on the other device, and a mobile communication device, an information processing device, and a data communication method used in the communication system.
According to one aspect of the present invention, there is provided a mobile communication device comprising: means for establishing a wireless link for a wireless communication with an external device; means for, via the wireless link, sending a signal to the external device to start software installed therein; means for, via the wireless link, receiving display data generated by software from the external device; and means for displaying on a screen the display data received.
According to another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a portable information processing device comprising: means for establishing a wireless link for a wireless communication with a mobile communication device; means for, via the wireless link, sending a signal to the mobile communication device to start software installed therein; means for, via the wireless link, receiving display data generated by software from the mobile communication device; and means for displaying on a screen the display data received.
According to still another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a communication system having a mobile communication device and a portable information processing device comprising: means, provided in the mobile communication device and portable information processing device, for establishing a wireless link for a wireless communication between the mobile communication device and portable information processing device; means, provided in the mobile communication device, for sending a signal to the portable information processing device via the wireless link to start software installed therein; means, provided in the portable information processing device, for sending display data generated by software installed in the portable information processing device to the mobile communication device via the wireless link in response the signal; and means, provided in the mobile communication device, for displaying the display data sent from the portable information processing device on a screen of the mobile communication device.
According to still another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a data communication method for use in a communication system having a mobile communication device and a portable information processing device, comprising the steps of: establishing a wireless link for a wireless communication between the mobile communication device and portable information processing device; sending a signal to the portable information processing device from the mobile communication device via the wireless link to start software installed in the portable information processing device; sending display data generated by software installed in the portable information processing device to the mobile communication device from the portable information processing device via the wireless link in response to the signal; and displaying the display data sent from the portable information processing device to the mobile communication device on a screen of the mobile communication device.
According to still another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a portable information processing device comprising: means for setting a wireless link with an external device; means for, via the wireless link, sending a command to the external device; and means for, via the wireless link, receiving data corresponding to the command from the external device, the data including battery information of the external device.
According to still another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a portable information processing device comprising: means for setting a first wireless link with a cellular phone which is connectable to a public line via a second wireless link; means for, via the first wireless link, sending a command to the cellular phone; and means for, via the first wireless link, receiving data corresponding to the command from the cellular phone, the data including electric field intensity information for the second wireless link.
Additional objects and advantages of the invention will be set forth in the description which follows, and in part will be obvious from the description, or may be learned by practice of the invention. The objects and advantages of the invention may be realized and obtained by means of the instrumentalities and combinations particularly pointed out hereinafter.